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Laurel Morales

Incumbent Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick is relying on the Navajo and other tribal members to vote. She campaigned on the Navajo Nation and other reservations.

In Arizona, Republican House Speaker Andy Tobin has conceded defeat in his bid against Democrat Representative Ann Kirkpatrick in the 1st Congressional District.

Despite a million dollar effort to topple the two-term incumbent, Kirkpatrick has managed to hold onto her seat. She said in a statement the voters, “stood up to Washington and gave its partisan games the boot.”

After last week’s announcement that the Navajo presidential race would be postponed, Democrats rallied the tribe to vote. About 40 percent cast ballots. Kirkpatrick said her strategy didn’t change.

“I’ve always spent the last few days of the election on the Navajo Nation,” Kirkpatrick said. “This district is 25 percent Native American, so it’s not just Navajo, it’s all the tribes.”

Winning this term means ending Kirkpatrick’s on-again, off-again relationship with Congress. She was defeated during the last midterm election.

Kirkpatrick said she’s looking forward to working across the aisle on economic development and veterans benefits in the coming term.